What Could Have Been
by DarryFan177
Summary: This story is placed in present day StoryBrooke, might have some Enchanted Forest Later. Snow and David's family's mission is put on hold when Emma is de-aged 20 years and now embodies that of a nine year old. Who perpetrated this distraction and why? How will this affect Snow and David and more importantly, what will this mean for Henry?


Author's Note: Welcome to my first Non- Outsiders Fanfic. This one is my first story based on a television show. Not to sound too Stephanie Meyerish... but this idea came to me in a dream last night and formulated in my mind that I had to write it.

Disclaimer: as Always the characters and locations depicted in this story belong to the producers of ABC's Once Upon a Time.

What Could Have Been

Chapter One: The Transformation

David's POV:

The day had started strange and just got stranger. Before I tell my story keep in mind that in my land and in my family, the impossible is very much possible. It had been a hard and exhausting day. My twenty-nine year old daughter Emma, also known as the town sheriff, and I had spent the day trying to locate Ruby's stolen car. It was now about three in the morning and Emma, her son Henry, my wife and I had all gone to bed. I didn't hear it at first until my wife shook me awake suddenly.

"What is it?" I asked groggily as she repeatedly said my name. She paused and held her breath, listening for a sound she had heard.

"Don't you hear that David?" she asked softly. I paused and listened and sure enough I heard the cries of a child. I listened closely. The only child in the apartment was Emma's eleven year old son Henry.

"It's got to be Henry, go get Emma." I said sleepily and laid my head back down. Mary Margaret jerked me back up to a sitting position again and frowned. "What's wrong Snow?" I asked using her more common name.

"Don't you hear it David, it's not Henry. It's a girl!" I shook my head as I listened to the otherwise silent house. I stared at her bewildered and thought she must be mistaken, the only girls in the house was her and Emma. I listened again and realized not only was she right, but that it definitely was not my adult daughter. This was distinctly a child cry. I nodded and told her to stay put.

"I'll check it out." I said and slowly got out of bed. I walked down the hall and tried to follow the noise. As I walked down the length of the long hallway, the cry became louder. Finally I stopped at the end of the hall where the sound was clearest and I stared at the door confused. This was the door to Emma's bedroom. I reached my hand down and slowly turned the handle of the door. When I entered the room I gasped, expecting to find my daughter, I was caught off guard by the sight before me. The girl sitting on the bed crying was obviously no more than eight or nine. The girl had long blonde hair and looked oddly familiar but I couldn't place her. Emma did not mention bringing anyone to the apartment, nor did this girl look familiar and I would surely know if there was a stranger in Storybrooke. The child didn't flinch, but looked back at me and attempted a half smile. It seemed to me she was more embarrassed at having been caught crying than about being seen by a complete stranger. My next question was where Emma was, if figured she had to be around here somewhere. Finally I decided to ask a simple question. "Is everything alright my dear?" The girl looked upset.

"Yes Daddy, I'm okay" I jumped back at her answer and I looked over at her. The young girl had Emma's long blonde hair and eye color. I backed up a step.

"Okay. I will be right back okay?" She nodded and I backed out of the room closing the door softly before I ran back down the hallway toward the room I shared with my wife. I ran inside and closed the door behind me and leaned against it. Snow stood up and looked at me with a cock of an eyebrow.

"Why David, you look like you've seen a ghost." She said calmly. "What's going on?"

"It's umm, it's Emma" I blurted out.

"Is she okay?" Snow looked alarmed and concerned at once. I shook my head, then I nodded.

"No, I mean Yes, I mean she's.." I held my hand just a few feet above my waist, hanging in the air to demonstrate height. Snow looked at me bewildered now.

"What are you going on about David."

"Just come and see for yourself" I said, it occurred to both of us that I was making zero sense. I led my wife down to Emma's room at the end of the hall. I pushed the door open quietly and the girl looked up at us and smiled. She had stopped crying in the meantime.

"Hello Mama" She said softly as if she said this to her everyday. Snow gripped my arm for support and i felt her body wobble. She walked closer and took a seat on the bed across from the child.

"Tell me your name dear?" She said with a gentle smile. The little girl laughed and looked to Snow and back to me. She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Mama your silly, it's Emma. You know that. You picked it." Snow gasped and looked up at me.

"Emma... " I ventured. "How old are you?"

"Daddy you forget?" She chuckled again and leaned back against the pillows. "I'm nine years old."

"Of course Sweetie, I was only teasing you of course. So was Mommy." I said with a smile, trying to hide my shock from the child who seemed to not notice a thing out of place. I turned as I heard footsteps approaching.

"Mom, what's goin on in he-" Henry stopped and looked from me to Snow to nine year old Emma.

"Snow why don't you make sure she is resettled for the night and I will explain to our gr- our son." She nodded and before Henry could object I pulled him out of the room and closed the door.

"Grandpa, what's going on? Who is that? Where's Mom?" Henry demanded as I closed the door. Henry had been awakened by all the commotion and came to see his mother.

"Henry come with me, I will explain everything downstairs alright?" He nodded and we walked down to the main level and sat at the kitchen island with a cup of cocoa. "Alright this is bound to sound crazy, but that is your mother. We don't know what happened yet, but that girl is a nine year old Emma." Henry blinked in shock and I went on to explain what had happened. "Nothing can be done tonight, but one of our resident sorcerers is responsible that is for sure. I will get your mother back I promise, but in the meantime this is a delicate situation. For now your identity will have to remain a secret alright?"

"Yes Grandpa I understand."

"Good. Now I need to get back to Snow and Emma and make sure at least for tonight things remain under control. Go back to sleep Henry, we'll figure something out tomorrow." Henry nodded and rose from the table. We climbed the stairs and he went to his bedroom. I continued down the hall to Emma's room. Snow had gone to our room and Emma was crying again.

"Hi Daddy" she said as I entered.

"What's wrong Emma?" I said with concern. She may not be twenty-nine. but the girl in front of me was still my child.

"Nightmares again Daddy" I nodded and offered her a hug. When i rose again to full height she grabbed on to my wrist. "Please don't go..." My heart cracked just a bit at the girl's desperate plea and I nodded. Emma moved over and I laid down beside her pulling the child close protectively. She quickly fell asleep and I vowed to do something come the morning.


End file.
